The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-12-01
FERRETS IN STORES.
They Keep Dat the Rats and Save Many
Thousands of Dollars.

FERRETS IN STORES.
They Keep Dat the Rats and save Many
Thousands of Dollars.
81 am going down to buy some
trained ferrets," said White street dry
goods merchant to reporter.
"What for?"
''Well, my store from basement 70
roof is infested with rats. and they do
incalculable mischief For instance,
this morning we found piece of silk
worth sixty dollars completely destroyed
by the rats having gnawed through it.
have had cats and dogs in the build
Ing. but they have proved useless. as
they can not go where rat can. Twas
in England last summer and visited in
London several of the largest dry goods
stores. In the course of conversation
with the proprietors / learned from
them that they had in their employ
fcrret-keeper, whose duties are to tend
TO the animals and keep the warehouses
clear of rats.
''In one large house, which is literally
packed from cellar to roof with cases
of silk, satins and general dry goods, |
was taken to the garrett, where l found
in a specially designed space several
small and snug kennels surrounded by
finely-wired fences. Here l saw some
thirty ferrets, curled up asleep or
moving around in that snake-like man
ner characteristic of them.
''I wouldn't take one hundred
pounds for these remarked the gentle
man who accompanied me. for they have
saved me many thousands of pounds
since have had them He then sent
for the keeper, who entered the inclos-
ure; he called the ferrets By name and
each answered him by running toward
him. He took them up and played
with them as with pet dog. and they
made no attempt to bite him. He here
explained how they were trained TO an
swer his call or whistle and ALWAYS
after killing rat TO drag it out of its
hole and leave it where it could be
readily found. The gentleman then
directed the keeper TO get few rats,
which he soon brought from big cage
in which they were kept. They were.
truly speaking, thorough Out-and-out
ugly, vicious specimens Of the London
rat. The keeper threw half dozen
into the inclosure, and quicker than
thought the ferrets had bounced upon
them and killed them.
''When returned from Europe de-
termined to initiate my English cousin,
and L have had similar pen con-
structed on the top floor of my building,
and l am now going to see about the
ferrcts.''
The reporter accompanied the mer-
chant to a Fulton street vermin de-
stroyer store. There in large wired
cages and kennels were ferrets of all
colors and cost. Some were to be had
for five dollars pair, others for
twenty dollars and even more. The
latter were of sun-brown color, OF
great strength and extraordinary ra-
pidIty of movement. They answered
the dealers call and seemed pleased at
his petting them.
An attendant who was spoken to
brought out what, when put together,
made a regular rat-pit, the sides of
which were smeared with blood. At a
signal he dropped in half dozen fierce
looking rats, and then the two ferrets
were thrown in. In less than two
minutes the rats were stretched life
less and bleeding. Other ferrets were
then tried, but the younger and less
experienced and trained CUES could not
kill as quickly as the older and better
trained ones. The merchant bought
half dozen of the older ones, which,
after they have got accustomed to
their new home, will be allowed to
wander through the great warehouse
at night.
"They will soon learn to know the
place and answer to the CALL" said the
seller, land will wager they will soon
make rats scarce in the building.'-
n. Y. Star.